Welcome to this training session about respiratory protection. It is designed to help protect you from the effects of airborne hazardous substances in the workplace.

Session Objectives

By the end of this training session, you will be able to:

• Identify the hazards of airborne contaminants;
• Identify and use appropriate respiratory protection;
• Recognize the limitations and capabilities of respirators in our workplace; and
• Inspect, maintain, and store respirators.

Session Objectives (cont.)

• Use respirators under dangerous or emergency conditions;
• Understand procedures for medical evaluations; and
• Recognize the medical signs and symptoms that may prevent effective respirator use.

Respirator Use Locations

In this session, we’ll look at:

• The locations in our facility where respirators are routinely or likely to be worn; and
• The types of airborne contaminants that occur at those locations.

Inhalation Hazards

Here are several categories of inhalation hazards that can occur at the workplace:

• Airborne particles such as:

– Dust, fog, smoke, fume, mist, and aerosol;

• Chemical vapors or gases;
• Biological organisms such as:

– Bacteria, mold, spores, fungi, or viruses; and

• Lack of adequate oxygen.

Make sure you know the inhalation hazards in our workplace for which you must wear respirators.

Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH)

Let’s look at a key term in respiratory protection:

• IDLH means the atmosphere at a specific location is immediately dangerous to life or health. The amount of a chemical or chemicals in the air is so high, or oxygen levels are so low, it can cause death or permanent harm.
• An example of an IDLH atmosphere is when oxygen levels are below the permissible exposure limit of 19.5 percent of air volume.
• In addition to confined spaces (e.g., tanks, vaults, and sewers), IDLH conditions can occur in rooms or buildings with little or no ventilation, or where there has been a release of a highly toxic chemical.
• Only well-trained persons should enter an area with IDLH conditions. Entering a confined space or enclosure that has chemicals above their IDLH level is a high-risk activity and the highest form of respiratory protection must be worn.
• The standby person must be trained to conduct an emergency rescue.

Make sure you know and follow your organization’s procedures for working in IDLH atmospheres.

How Respirators Work

Let’s look at how respirators work:

• They prevent inhalation of airborne particles, vapors, and other contaminants.
• With negative pressure respirators, when you inhale, the air pressure inside the face piece is lower during inhalation than the ambient atmosphere outside the mask. The ambient air is pulled through an inlet, passes through a filter, trapping contaminants before the air enters your mouth. Exhaust air is pushed out through the exhalation valve.
• With positive pressure respirators, the air pressure inside the face piece is greater than the air pressure outside the respirator. The respirator sends breathing air to the respiratory inlet covering when the positive pressure is reduced inside the face piece by inhalation or leakage.
• Basically, for all types of respirators, air is passed through a filter, sorbent, or catalyst that traps contaminants.

When Are Respirators Needed?

Respirators should never be your first line of defense against exposure to airborne contaminants. Here’s when they should and shouldn’t be used:

• They are to be used only after it is determined that effective engineering controls, such as special enclosures, ventilation, or use of less toxic chemicals, are not in place or are not feasible to prevent exposure.
• They must be used during the installation of engineering controls.
• They are routinely worn during maintenance operations where dusts, vapors, and other airborne contaminants are generated.
• Nonroutine tasks are those typically performed by maintenance or another service organization. Nonroutine tasks vary, making it difficult to implement engineering controls; therefore, respirators are used extensively in maintenance operations.
• Finally, they are routinely worn during emergency response operations by first responders and rescue personnel. They are also often used by workers at hazardous waste site cleanup operations.

Types of Face Pieces

Respirators have either tight-fitting or loose-fitting face pieces.

• Tight-fitting face pieces have straps or clamps.
• They can be half mask (covers the mouth and nose), full mask (covers the entire face, including the eyes), or mouthpiece (covers the mouth with a clamp for the nose). Both air-purifying and atmosphere-supplying respirators use both half-mask and full-face configurations.
• They can also be dust masks (durable or single-use).
• A loose-fitting face piece can be a hood or helmet.

Assigned Protection Factor (APF)

Here is another important term in respiratory protection:

• The assigned protection factor, or APF, of a respirator reflects the minimum level of protection that a properly functioning respirator would be expected to provide to a population of properly fitted and trained users.
• For example, an APF of 10 for a respirator means that a user could expect to inhale no more than one-tenth of the airborne contaminant present. An APF of 50 means one-fiftieth of the contaminant may be inhaled.
• Each type of respirator has an APF for each contaminant it filters. For example, a half-mask, air-purifying respirator must have an APF of 10 for cadmium, and a full-face piece air-purifying respirator must have an APF of 50 for the same chemical.

Air-Purifying Respirator (APR)

The most common type of respirator in use today is the air-purifying respirator, or APR.

• APRs are negative pressure respirators.
• The APR is fitted with an air-purifying filter, cartridge, or canister that removes specific air contaminants by passing ambient air through the air-purifying element. They do not supply oxygen to the face piece.
• Particulate APRs remove dusts, fumes, and other airborne particles.
• Gas and vapor APRs, pictured here, remove chemical gases and vapors.
• A combination APR removes both particles and gases/vapors.
• APRs do not provide adequate protection in IDLH atmospheres. They offer a maximum APF of 50.

Make sure you know how to use the APRs in your facility.

Half-Face APR

Here’s what you need to know about the half-face APR:

• The maximum APF for half-face APRs is 10, so its use is limited;
• There is no protection for the face or eyes;
• Your sight is not impaired, and there is no need for corrective lenses; and
• They are not as heavy as a full-face respirator.

Full-Face APR

Here’s what you need to know about the full-face APR:

• The full-face APR has a maximum APF of 50;
• It protects the face and eyes as well as nose and mouth;
• It is difficult to see when the face piece fogs up;
• It’s also difficult to speak through the face piece; and
• It requires a lens correction kit.

Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR)

Here is important information about powered air-purifying respirators, or PAPRs:

• The maximum APF is 25 for loose-fitting face pieces, 50 for half-mask tight-fitting face pieces, and 1000 for full-mask tight fitting face pieces;
• A PAPR uses a blower to force the ambient air through air-purifying elements to the inlet covering or face piece; and
• There is no separate or self-contained air supply.

Make sure you know how to use the PAPRs in your facility.

Prohibited Uses of APR and PAPR

Do not use APRs or PAPRs under the following conditions:

• In an IDLH atmosphere, including oxygen-deficient atmospheres;
• Where there are unknown airborne contaminants;
• Where contaminants with poorly understood exposure limits or other warnings exist;
• Where specific chemicals are present that the APR/PAPR is not specifically designed to filter;
• And when the contaminant concentrations exceed maximum use concentration, or MUC, limits.
• The MUC is the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) multiplied by the APF of the respirator.

Atmosphere-Supplying

An atmosphere-supplying respirator is another type of respirator. It is commonly used by emergency responders and spill cleanup personnel.

• A type of respirator that supplies the user with breathing air from a source independent of the ambient atmosphere, including:

– Supplied-air respirators, or SARs, top picture.

– Self-contained breathing apparatus, or SCBA, units, bottom picture, are used for possible or actual life-threatening situations.

• Here are the three primary types of atmosphere-supplying respirators:

– Continuous Flow provides a continuous flow of breathing air to the respirator.

– Demand admits breathing air to the face piece only when a negative pressure is created inside the face piece by inhalation. Because of this, almost no one uses it.

– Pressure Demand admits breathing air to the face piece when the positive pressure inside the face piece is reduced by inhalation.

Make sure you know how to use the atmosphere-supplying respirators in your facility.

Dust Mask (Filtering Face Piece)

Here’s important information about the dust mask, which is also known as a filtering face piece:

• As explained earlier, negative pressure means the air pressure inside the mask is lower during inhalation than the ambient atmosphere outside the mask, pulling air through the filter.
• The filter removes particulates, or dust, therefore:

– The filter is an integral part of the mask; and

– In fact, the entire mask is made of the filter material.

• Protection from most airborne hazards is very limited. Except for N95 dust masks, they are generally used for blocking larger dust particles and do not block very small particles, fumes, gases, or most other airborne contaminants.

Make sure you know when, where, and how to use dust masks in your facility.

Escape-Only

A final type of respirator is the escape-only respirator.

• An escape-only respirator is intended to be used only for emergency exit.
• It is used mainly for escaping IDLH atmospheres.

Make sure you know when and how to use escape-only respirators in your facility.

Inhalation Hazards and Respirators – Questions?

Now it’s time to ask yourself if you understand the information presented so far.

• Do you understand the inhalation hazards of airborne contaminants at our facility?
• Do you understand the types of respirators used at the facility?

Respirator Selection

It is our company’s responsibility to select the appropriate respirator for the right job. For your information, these are the criteria we take into account when choosing a respirator:

• The physical state of the contaminants (vapor, gas, or solid);
• The contaminant concentration in the atmosphere;
• Whether there is an oxygen deficiency;
• How easy is it to detect the contaminant with the human senses (e.g., smell);
• The risk that we may encounter an IDLH atmosphere; and
• The length of time the respirator will be used.

Respirator Selection (cont.)

Here are additional criteria we consider when choosing a respirator:

• The workload of the wearer;
• Other environmental factors, including room temperature and relative humidity;
• The proper filter media for the given contaminant, for example, a high-efficiency particulate air [HEPA] cartridge for dusts;
• Potential hazard of skin contact with contaminants;
• And finally, potential hazard of eye contact with contaminants.

Respirators for Non-IDLH Use

Here is important information for using respirators in non-IDLH situations:

• If cartridges have no “end-of-service-life indicator,” employers must come up with their own schedule for cartridge change out. It is recommended that employers obtain information from various manufacturers to assist in developing the change schedule.
• The oxygen-deficiency table will be of value in areas of high altitude; otherwise, differences are negligible.

Filters, Cartridges, and Canisters

Here’s what you need to know about filters, cartridges, and canisters:

• All respirator filters, cartridges, and canisters used in the workplace must be labeled and color coded with the NIOSH, or National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, approved label.
• The label must not be removed and must remain legible.
• In addition to the NIOSH-approved label, all filters, cartridges, or canisters must be marked with the manufacturer’s name and part number, and an abbreviation to indicate cartridge or filter type (e.g., N95 or P100).
• A matrix approval label must be supplied, usually as an insert in the shipping box.
• Air-purifying respirators should be equipped with an end-ofservice-life indicator, or ESLI, certified by NIOSH for the contaminant. You must implement a change schedule for canisters and cartridges.

Respirator Filter Color Codes

This slide lists the NIOSH-approved color-coded labels used on respirator filters, cartridges, or canisters.

• Acid gas (e.g., sulfuric acid)—white
• Acid gas and organic vapor— yellow
• Acid, ammonia, and organic vapors—brown
• Acid gas, ammonia, carbon monoxide, and organic vapors—red
• Ammonia—green

Respirator Filter Color Codes (cont.)

Here are more NIOSH color codes for various substances:

• Carbon monoxide gas—blue
• Chlorine—white and yellow
• Dust, fumes, and mists (non-radioactive)—orange
• Organic vapor—black
• Other vapors and gases—olive

Make sure you know the meaning of the colors on NIOSH labels on the respirator filters and cartridges used in your facility.

Fit Test

Fit testing is a critical part of using respirators safely:

• Before an employee uses any respirator with a negative- or positive-pressure tight-fitting face piece, the employee must be fit tested with the same make, model, style, and size of respirator that will be used during work activities.
• The fit test ensures no contaminants are leaking into the face piece.
• Retesting is required annually, and after weight loss or dental work.
• Finally, beards are not allowed when wearing a respirator.

Qualitative Fit Test

• Qualitative fit testing is done for negative pressure APRs.

– Users may rely on either a qualitative or a quantitative fit test procedure for exposure levels less than 10 times the occupational exposure limit.

• Fit testing of tight-fitting atmosphere-supplying respirators and tight-fitting powered air-purifying respirators can be performed using either quantitative or qualitative testing in the negative pressure mode.
• Qualitative fit testing is pass-fail, is very subjective, and relies on the wearer to identify whether they smell or taste the challenge agent. For example:

– Irritant smoke is one substance used in a qualitative test to determine if the wearer can detect it.

– Ambient aerosols are also used for qualitative testing.

Make sure you know how to conduct the fit test procedures your facility uses. For more information on fit test requirements, check the regulation at 29 CFR 1910.134, Appendix A.

Quantitative Fit Test

• Quantitative fit testing is an assessment of the adequacy of respirator fit by numerically measuring the amount of leakage into the respirator. It provides a number called a fit factor, which can identify the quality of the fit and document compliance with OSHA standards. Some quantitative tests include:

– Controlled negative pressure

– Ambient atmosphere (Portacount™)

• It is used on negative-pressure APRs for exposure levels greater than 10 times the occupational exposure limit. Remember that fit testing of tight-fitting atmosphere-supplying respirators and tight fitting powered air-purifying respirators can be performed using either quantitative or qualitative testing in the negative pressure mode.

Check the Seal

For respirators to protect you, they must have a complete seal.

• Employees who have facial hair or any condition that interferes with the face-to-face piece seal or valve function are not allowed to wear tight-fitting face pieces. Corrective glasses or goggles or other PPE must be worn in a manner that does not interfere with the face-to-face piece seal.
• The face piece seal is paramount and must be complete.
• Employees wearing tight-fitting respirators must perform a user seal check each time they put on the respirator using the procedures in Appendix B-1 of 29 CFR 1910.134 or equally effective manufacturer’s procedures.
• Conduct both a positive and negative pressure check. Hold your hand over the air exhalation valve and exhale gently to test the positive pressure for a few seconds, as shown in the image; if no air leakage is detected, it passes the positive pressure test. Also, hold your hands over the filters or cartridge components or cover the inlets with thin latex or nitrile glove and inhale gently to check negative pressure, as pictured here. The facepiece will collapse slightly as you inhale; hold your breath for 10 seconds. If the facepiece holds its slightly collapsed condition and no air enters, it passes the negative pressure test.

Make sure you know how to check the seals on the respirators you use in your facility.

Voluntary Use of Respirators

Regarding the voluntary use of respirators:

• You can now use your own respiratory protection as long as it does not create an additional hazard. We (the employer) still have the fundamental responsibility to ensure that the respirator in use is appropriate for the job.
• If you use a respirator when it is not required, read the information given to you about nonregulated respirator use provided by our company.
• We have a program to ensure voluntary use of respirators is done effectively.
• Finally, there is no voluntary use program if the only respirator used is a dust mask.

Make sure you know and follow your facility’s program for voluntary use of respirators. For more information, check #29 CFR 1910.134, Appendix D, “Information for Employees Using Respirators When Not Required Under the Standard.”

Inspect Respirator Carefully

Now we’ll talk about the inspection, maintenance, and storage procedures for respirators.

• First of all, inspect all respirators used in routine situations before each use and during cleaning, making sure to follow manufacturer’s instructions. Check all components of respirator function, tightness of connections, and the condition of the various parts.
• All respirators maintained for use in emergency situations shall be inspected as follows:

– At least monthly and in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations

– For proper function before and after each use

• Check elastic parts for pliability and signs of deterioration.
• Finally, report any problems or defects to your supervisor. Do not attempt to repair any respirator components unless you are certified and authorized to do it.

Make sure you know and follow your facility’s inspection procedures.

APRs – Maintain and Clean Components

Now we’ll discuss the cleaning procedures for APRs.

• First, a note about dust masks—throw them away after use. Once a mask is coated with dust, replace it. Don’t try to clean it.
• For APRs, remove filters, cartridges, or canisters. Disassemble face pieces by removing speaking diaphragms, demand and pressure demand valve assemblies, hoses, or any components recommended by the manufacturer. Discard or repair any defective parts.
• Wash components in warm water with a mild detergent or with a cleaner recommended by the manufacturer. A stiff bristle (not wire) brush may be used to facilitate the removal of dirt. Rinse components thoroughly in clean, warm (43 degree Celsius [110 degree Fahrenheit] maximum), preferably running, water. Drain. Remove the cartridges.
• Be careful replacing any inhalation and exhalation valves.
• Dry with a clean, dust-free cloth or air dry in a clean room.
• Finally, reassemble the respirator components, and test to make sure the respirator is fully functional for use. Make sure you follow your facility’s cleaning procedures.

Store Properly

Always store respirators properly.

• Protect all respirators and other protective equipment from damage, contamination, dust, sunlight, extreme temperatures, excessive moisture, and damaging chemicals when they are stored.
• Store the dry respirator and cartridges in a clean container or bag.
• Do not allow the respirator to be stored in a way that will allow the face piece to become distorted. Make sure you follow your facility’s storage procedures for respirators.

Respirator Care and Use – Questions?

• Now it’s time to ask yourself if you understand the information presented so far. Do you understand your responsibilities for the care and use of respirators and their components?
• Do you understand the respiratory protection plan and the information about IDLH atmospheres?

Medical Evaluation

Not everyone is physically able to use a respirator.

• A medical evaluation is required before fit testing and respirator use. The initial evaluation is a questionnaire.
• All medical evaluations must be confidential.
• You may discuss your questionnaire with the licensed healthcare professional.
• Follow-up evaluations must be conducted if conditions of use or user health change.

Regulatory Requirements

Respirator use has strict federal regulations. If you use respiratory protection, it is important that all the following regulatory elements (Code of Federal Regulations Title 29, Section 1910.134) be in place:

• A written respiratory protection plan;
• Employee training;
• Medical evaluation;
• Fit testing; and
• Provision of respirators at no cost to employee.

Employer’s General Requirements

General requirements for employers state that:

• All of our respirators must be NIOSH-certified.
• We must complete a thorough evaluation of our workplace respiratory hazards and provide respirators that will protect you from any identified hazards.
• Our company must select respirators from a sufficient number of models and sizes so that the respirator is acceptable to, and correctly fits, the user.
• And where exposure to respiratory hazards can’t be identified or reasonably estimated, the atmosphere must be considered IDLH.

Written Respiratory Protection Plan

Here are the requirements regarding our written respiratory protection program:

• If you or co-workers are required to wear respirators, the law says our company must have an adequate written respiratory protection program that describes the procedures for:

– Respirator selection, use, training, and fitting;

– Respirator maintenance, storage, and inspection; and

– Work area surveillance.

• The plan must also describe the process for medical examinations.
• It must also describe procedures for evaluating the effectiveness of the respirator protection program.

Make sure you understand and follow the procedures in your facility’s respiratory protection plan.

Additional Plan Requirements

In addition, requirements state that:

• Companies not only have to have a written program, but the program must be site specific. No boilerplate programs will be accepted by OSHA. The program must state how our company will meet the requirements.
• Companies must have a respiratory protection program administrator.

Make sure you know who the respiratory protection program administrator is at your facility.

What’s Wrong Here?

Now let’s conduct an exercise. This training session presents a case study of an actual accident, which was inspected and documented by OSHA. The OSHA case is: Accident: 170702674, Report ID: 0950614, and Inspection: 111816161

• The employee was applying 1,1,1-trichloroethane primer inside # 5′ x 5′ planter boxes.
• He was wearing a half-face cartridge respirator.
• After a short while, he became unconscious. Not shown here, a second employee attempted a rescue without a respirator. He also became unconscious. Thankfully, in this case, the local fire department rescued both employees. When the atmosphere around the employees was tested, the concentration of 1,1,1-trichloroethane measured 80,000 ppm.
• What are some of the hazards in this situation?

– Working in a confined space with a dangerous atmosphere;

– Exposure to a hazardous substance;

– Poor air circulation, especially for a heavier-than-air chemical; and

– Explosion or fire.

What Can Be Done?

Let’s look at how this incident could have been avoided.

• What appropriate safety measures are missing and should be implemented?

– Proper engineering controls such as ventilation or substitution of less toxic chemicals;

– Proper monitoring of concentrations of contaminants;

– IDLH training for the worker and confined space attendant and rescuer;

– Hazard communication information and training, such as the requirement to make sure the most up-to-date manufacturer safety data sheet is available to the worker;

– Appropriate PPE for trichloroethane; and

– Appropriate confined space and hazard communication training for the attendant and/or rescuer.

Can you think of others?

Key Points to Remember

Here are the key points to remember about the information presented during this session:

• Understand the physical and health hazards of dangerous airborne substances in your work area.
• Make sure appropriate engineering controls are implemented before using a respirator.
• Know how to properly don, fit, use, inspect, clean, and store respirators.
• Inspect respirators and cartridges before each use.
• Always make sure the right respirator and cartridge are matched for the appropriate working conditions and contaminants.

This concludes this training session.